Humidifiers

In the early years of our profession, keeping the reservoirs of humidifiers filled was a major undertaking. Large bottles of distilled water were transported on carts for the technicians and therapists to refill room humidifiers and oxygen humidifiers. (One can only image the bacterial cross-contamination that resulted from this practice!) A variety of room humidifiers and bubble humidifiers are featured in this gallery.

The French Blue and White enamel steam inhaler from the 1930s is from the collection of Felix Khusid.

In November 1932, F. A. Blashfield filed a patent application for a "Gas Humidifying Device. The patent was granted on September 25, 1934.

In the 1940s, refillable humidifiers were constructed of a threaded metal top and metal reservoir, making it impossible for oxygen technicians to visualize the water levels in the reservoir.

The Humidicrib provided "scientific control of humidity and temperature to greatly increase the premature infant's chance of survival and normal, healthy growth."

Practical Electric Products, Inc. produced the PRAC-T-KAL automatic vaporizer and humidifiers in the 1940s and 1950s.

The Walton Cold Steam hospital humidifier was described as a "centrifugal atomizer" that provided high humidity in oxygen tents or hospital rooms.
Thereafter, unheated hospital room humidifiers were referred to as "cold steamers".
This ad appeared in the December 1959 issue of the Inhalation Therapy journal.

J. Gilroy et al filed a patent application for a "Humidifier" in November 1950. The patent was granted on January 18, 1955.

In the 1950s, oxygen humidifiers with refillable glass reservoirs were introduced.

The Air-Shields Hydrojette was a mobile, cool vapor humidifier used at the hospital bedside. This ad, which appeared in the September 1958 issue of the Inhalation Therapy journal, indicated that the device was recommended as supportive treatment for croup, bronchial asthma, poliomyelitis, bronchitis, and other respiratory disorders.

This ad from the April 1962 issue of the Inhalation Therapy journal featured the dual action humidifier from Puritan Corporation. The Puritan Bubble Jet could be set for "vaporization or nebulization". It offered either a glass jar or a shatterproof plastic reservoir jar.

In the 1960s, humidifiers with metal caps and refillable plastic reservoirs were introduced.

This unit, patented on May 1,1962 was a "combined room humidifier and medicinal vaporizer or the like."

The ad for the Walton Model HA canopy enclosures were less confining for older children undergoing cold steam humidity therapy.

On July 27, 1962, Raymond Banks applied for a patent for a room humidifier. The patent was granted on November 3, 1964 to the inventor and originally assigned to Walton Labs, Inc.

This ad for the hospital model Ohio VaporMaster humidifier appeared in the June 1963 issue of the INHALATION THERAPY journal.

The Bennett Cascade Humidifier is featured in this October 1965 ad from the INHALATION THERAPY journal.

The Bennett Cascade humidifier was introduced in the 1960s. The heated humidifier was used with the Bennett respiration units and the Bennett MA-1.

In the late 1960s, resusable humidifiers with plastic caps and refillable reservoirs were introduced. In many devices, the bubbler unit was still constructed of metal.

On April 16, 1962, Paal Myklebust files a patent application for a room humidifier. The patent was granted on June 8, 1965 and assigned to the Hankscraft Company

The Bunn Defensor 505 Humidifier was featured in the October 1967 issue of the INHALATION THERAPY journal.

In the 1970s, many hospitals switched over to single patient use room humidifiers such as the unit shown.

For convenience and reduction in cross-contamination, pre-filled, disposable humidifier reservoirs were introduced.

The Humidilizer, a room humidifier produced by MistO2Gen , was trademarked in 1978.

Heat Moisture Exchangers (HME) were introduced into clinical practice in the mid-1980s and provided passive humidification.